The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-02
RECLAssIFICATIoN OF PosToFFICEs.
How It Is Proposed to- Remedy the Unequal
tiles Now Existing.

How It Is Proposed to- Remedy tho Unequal
tiles Now Existing.
washingto Special
Messrs Ryan, Metcalf and Alexander, post
Office inspectors, who were specially detailed by
Postmaster general Villas to make an examina-
ton of all the second and third-class postofices
in the United States with view to their recass-
iication in regard to the allowances for clerk
hire, have returned to the city from their ex-
tended tour and are now engaged in the prepar
alton of report which will be presented to the
Postmaster-general on his return from his yaca-
ton. The inequalities which their report is ex-
pected to remedy this way: Postmasters
whose receipts entitle them to a salary of from
81, 600 to So 900 second-class postmasters and
have their clerk hire, rent and fuel allowed by
the government. Postmasters whose receipts
entitle them a salary Of from 81 900 to SO, 900
are third class postmasters and are required to
provide their clerk hire and to pay their rent
themselves Thus 1t may happen in actual prac-
tce that a postmaster whose business entities
him to claim a salary of S., 900 has to pay out of
his pocket 81, 600 for clerical assitance rent
and fuel. He is third-class postmaster. The
business of a neighboring postmaster. it NAV be,
rms only 5000 year higher, but that brings
him into the list of second class postmasters,
and entities him to an allowance for clerk hire,
rent and fuel equal perhaps, to the whole
amount of his salary, even more. The ap-
preparations for clerical assistance to postmas-
tere below the grade OF nr5tciaSS are made In
bulk by Congress. and the distribution or this
amount is left discretionary with the postofice
department Under the present classification
of second and third-class Offices it is impossible
to avoid instances of great Injustice and un
due preference. Congress has repeatedly been
asked to apply remedy byslegislaton, but has
failed to act. Postmaster-general Villas
Is now attempting to correct the in
CAPABILITIES. as far possible. by
vision of the classification of the department
itself. 1t is for that purpose he sent out the
conn mission, whose report and the detailed
aminations upon which it is based will await his
action on his return. The leading features the
commissioners were instructed to hold in view
expressed in a report prepared by a sub
committee of Congress- but never acted upon,
which reads follows:
st seems that division of postofices into
classes. based upon the amount of business done.
with allowances accordingly, and with salaries
graduated to the duties and burdens imposed on
the postmaster, would be more natural and just
than the present classification, which proceeds
on the number of thousands paid TO the post
master. computed upon arbitrarily graduated
scale of commissions. Doubtless a perfect pro-
portion between compensation the one hard
and duty and respons bity the other cannot
be maintained through the entire range. But it
appears posi- bic to approximate 1t more nearly
than by the present method. Reduction in
some salaries. now fixed. is as Justly due
are allowances 10 some officers who pay
from their salaries expenses fairly belonging to
the government
Action upon the report made TO the Postmas-
ter-general will be awaited with great interest
by large number of second class postmasters
vereing the third class line, whose allowance
for clerk hire, ETC.. will probably be reduced
Hereunder, and with much hopefulness by
postmasters of the third-class, vereng the
second-c class line, who anticiDate that under the
new classification they will receive allowance
for rent and clerk hire which not now
corded them.